Tourism Bounces Back in Panama City Beach

The tide was a little calmer in Panama City Beach this weekend. But that was a good thing after a scare last week. Hurricane Isaac threatened Panama City early last week, causing beaches to close and people to stay away.

Dale Silvers, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, came just in time for a glimpse of the action.“If the storm was going to hit here I wouldn't have come, but then it started veering west and I decided to come anyway,” Silvers said.

And if anything, silvers, who's been coming to Florida beaches since the 1970s, saw some stuff he hasn't seen before.

“There was big waves, and sand blowing, and lots of people taking pictures. I've never seen that big of waves in the gulf before,” he said.

It wasn't the Gibson family's first time in Panama City Beach either. Maybe that's why they didn't let any old hurricane change their minds about one last summer trip"We did think about that, we didn't know how the beaches were going to be and stuff, but we decided to take our chances and go anyway,” Gibson said.

As for the beach's many places to stay condos and hotels along front beach road may have had some no-shows last weekend but officials are saying this weekend was pretty good.

“Through it all people are still coming to the beach still having a great time and the sun will come out” said Dan Rowe, President and CEO of the Panama City Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Local businesses like Smok 'N' Butts in Pier Park made out alright too. The weather was great and we were just glad that everybody came out, that the hurricane didn't deter anybody. But Andrews must admit, business is pretty much always booming in pier park.

Many hotels said there were several cancellations during the week, but several last minute reservations this weekend to made up for it.

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Tropical Headlines

Posted: 02/19/2015
- Residents in Australia's Northern Territories and Queensland braced Thursday for a pair of cyclones expected to make landfall on Friday. 'Marcia' and 'Lam' are expected to dump at least 15 inches of rain and bring winds up to 180 miles per hour.

Updated: 10/16/2014
- Tropical Storm Ana is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane this week as it moves toward the southern edge of Hawaii's Big Island, which was hit by a destructive tropical storm two months ago.

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